Exclusive: Chad Gates on how Pronto Software is embracing the AI evolution

Pronto Software is doubling down on its local roots and future-focused technology strategy, and Managing Director Chad Gates has shared his bold vision that places both AI and agility at the centre of the company's evolution.

It comes as Pronto recently earned the 'Australian Owned' certification. The certification emphasises the company's dedication to supporting Australian businesses with ERP and analytics solutions tailored to drive both efficiency and growth.

"We've always been proud to represent ourselves as Australian-owned, but this is the first time we've had the official stamp," said Gates. "It highlights our commitment to being local, to driving innovation and creating jobs here."

Gates, who became Managing Director in 2016 after a long tenure in various roles, including COO and development manager, said his deep understanding of the company's inner workings helped shape a leadership style grounded in experience.

"I've worked across many parts of the business," he explained. "That gave me the chance to see how everything runs and be amongst it from day one."

That operational breadth is echoed in Pronto's product offering - an ERP and analytics platform that the company designs, builds, sells and supports entirely in Australia. "We write, build, sell, test, deploy and support our software locally," Gates said.

"We take pride in tailoring our solutions to suit local business needs."

While ERP software has traditionally focused on transactions, Gates said the role of ERP is rapidly changing. "ERP is no longer just a transaction engine. It's now about digital transformation, agility and scale."

This shift is driven by the speed of business and the rising complexity of decision-making. "Customers need real-time agility," he said. "The timeframe for making business decisions has shrunk dramatically. You need systems that can pivot quickly and support change without getting bogged down."

Artificial intelligence is a key enabler in that transformation. "AI is pushing ERP into becoming more of an active member of the team," he said. "It assists or acts on behalf of users."

Pronto began exploring AI capabilities nearly two years ago, before the public explosion of tools like ChatGPT. "Since then, things have exploded. The pace is so fast, it's hard to keep up."

Rather than rely on third-party AI services, Pronto has chosen to build its own infrastructure. "It's easy to do the lazy version of AI and just send data out to ChatGPT," he said. "But that's not the right approach when data security is paramount."

Security and governance are major concerns for businesses adopting AI. "In ERP, customers' data is their most valuable asset. We must build the right framework to protect it."

Pronto has invested heavily in 'agentic AI' – intelligent software agents that automate decisions and tasks. "We've had exceptional management tools in place for years," Gates said. "Now we're making them proactive, not just reactive."

These innovations are being built alongside ongoing support for customers. "We're a one-stop shop. Customers know who they're talking to, and they know we understand their business and the local context."

Gates said Pronto's transparency and stability are key differentiators in a market filled with global vendors. "We're staff-owned, debt-free and we reinvest our profits into the business," he said. "Customers know we'll be here next year and the year after. That kind of certainty matters."

He pointed to cloud transformation as one of the company's most significant growth drivers over the past decade.

"Cloud has been a game-changer. It gives us scalability and speed, and now AI is the next layer of that transformation."

Among the biggest challenges Australian businesses face, Gates listed disconnected systems, data silos and manual processes. "We still help many businesses move away from outdated workflows and get a single source of truth."

Automation is another focus area. "We're removing tasks from people's hands so they can focus on what matters. That might be inventory forecasting, route optimisation or smarter marketing," he said.

Looking forward, Gates sees ERP becoming even more integrated into wider business ecosystems. "We're moving toward interconnected pools of data, intelligent interfaces and automation that supports, or even replaces, routine decision-making."

He emphasised that AI in business is still in its early stages. "We're all still wearing our AI nappies," he said. "This is just the beginning of something much, much bigger."

In parallel, Pronto is growing its workforce, with its largest-ever intake of graduates joining recently through partnerships with institutions like Deakin University.

"Graduates bring fresh ideas," he said. "They challenge our assumptions and help us see things differently, while learning from our experienced team."

Asked what sets Pronto apart from its competitors, Gates was clear: "The number one thing our customers buy from us isn't software - it's trust."

He added, "We're a local partner, not just a vendor. We have a real face, and we're invested in our customers' long-term success."

Despite the hype around AI and digital transformation, Gates said Pronto's goal remains consistent: delivering meaningful value.

"Everything we do must make our customers' lives better," he said. "That's how we actually measure success."